Despite all the concern and struggle, the Roma gypsies in Europe have not got their due. It is the high time to end apartheid faced by Romanies, integrate them in the mainstream society and stop violation of human rights against them.

Recently, US-based Hindu statesman Rajan Zed had urged various religious groups and leaders in Europe to join in to work for the rescue of Romanies and their reinstatement. Of late, furious and violent anti-Roma movements in Bulgaria, Hungary and Czech Republic have been spread headed by the dominant groups.

The International Roma Day or IRD (April 8) is round the corner meant to celebrate Romani culture and raise awareness of the issues facing Roma people. There is a need for various religious leaders to a put their weight behind Romanies to fight the growing anti-Roma sentiments in Europe. There is an all time high urgency to highlight the worldwide persecution and discrimination that Roma people are facing presenrly.

IRD was officially declared in 1990 during the fourth World Romani Congress of the International Romani Union (IRU) in Poland. Though there had been appeals from various political and religious leaders to treat Romanies with compassion and respect, stop continuing human rights abuses faced by Romanies and European governments to encourage tolerance for Romanies but nothing substantial has happened. Many believe that the discrimination against Roma began as a way for Europeans to assert their modernity and superiority.

According to Rajan Zed, Romanies are Europe’s most persecuted and discriminated community that is presently encountering the worst violation of human rights through social exclusion, racism, hostility and discrimination due to well trenched cultural prejudices of Europeans.